To Change the Course
by Brackenfrond
Summary: In a mad attempt to save the future, Harry, Hermione, Ron and, surprisingly, Draco send themselves back to the time the Marauders started at Hogwarts, hoping their memories and spirits would become attached to one of the four boys. What they weren't expecting was Alexandra Bluedale, who now happens to have voices in her head and a plan to change the future.


"Potter, I'm pretty sure you've lost it."

"For once I'm agreeing with Malfoy. Harry, mate, are you out of your mind?" So far, the only one who hadn't criticised his plan was Hermione, but she was giving him that look which said 'I totally agree with them' and Harry wanted to brain himself against a wall. He decided against that, because it would probably only convince Draco (since when had Malfoy become Draco?), Ron and Hermione that, yes, he had lost his mind.

"Things are fine, Potter." Draco gave the same excuse which, Harry admitted, was a pretty good excuse. "What if we do this and mess it all up?"

"What if we do this and make things much better?" Harry countered. "Think about it - not having to join Voldemort, not having everyone die, just...a better world in everyone alive."

"Harry, I know that you want things to...to stop sooner." Hermione's eyes were warm, soft. "But you're not thinking rationally."

"I'm not just doing this so my parents will live." Harry muttered. "I'm doing this so that everyone who died don't have to. That maybe some Deatheaters who were never truly loyal may not have to join him. Yes, my parents being alive would be wonderful, but by doing this, we could do so much more than just that."

"Harry…"

"Potter now does make an excellent point." Draco had leaned forward in his seat, curiosity practically seeping off of him, and maybe a dash of hope, too. "Not having to join him...that sounds pleasant. Excellent, in fact." Ron snorted.

"Of course you're doing this for yourself."

"Self preservation."

"Selfishness more like it."

"Stop it." Hermione rolled her eyes, but they remained fixed on Harry, now contemplative. "How sure of this are you, Harry? You know, that it will work?"

"About ninety-five per cent." Harry replied. "The only way it could fail would be if the person refused to believe us, or we were sent to the wrong person."

"Who are we supposed to go to, anyway?" Ron asked. "If we actually do this?"

"Either my mum or one of the Marauders." Draco muttered something about blatant favouritism, which Harry deliberately ignored. "They'd be more open to believing us, I think. So? Are you in?" Hermione heaved a deliberately exaggerated sigh.

"Oh, alright then."

Harry beamed.

XoooX

Xandra wasn't anything special.

As far as she was concerned, she was, yes, a little odd. She liked dancing to music in her head even if people could see. She sung while she worked, as it helped her thoughts become processed. She would happily fling small objects at people if they annoyed her. She was a witch, but when it came to Hogwarts, well, it wasn't that special.

So she didn't get why these guys were sitting with her.

One, the guy with the black hair and the dirty blonde one were high up in status when it came to witches and wizards. Regulus Black and Barty Crouch. Junior, mind, and Xandra pitied him so much for being named after his father.

Two, the other one, Severus Snape, she remembered, was part of the Prince line. The bloody _Prince_ line. Even if he himself was a half-blood, like Xandra was, he had some pretty noble blood running through his veins.

Three, they were talking about subjects that she didn't have a clue about and why was she here again and not with normal people? You know, like herself.

Because they didn't seem to care that she was unextraordinary. That she had no important blood, that the name 'Bluedale' wasn't common at all. She may have gained their favour when she offered Severus, who was looking rather grouchy, a chocolate frog and they all decided to make their home in her compartment. Which had, before, been empty.

"Hey, Xandra." She blinked. Barty was waving a hand in front of her face, grinning wildly. "Welcome back to the world of the living - what house d'you think you'll be in?" Xandra shrugged.

"Honestly, I have no idea."

"The rest of my family's been in Slytherin." Regulus said, sighing dramatically. "My brother and I are expected to be put there, too. I doubt Sirius will - he's a rule breaker."

"My mother was in Slytherin." Severus added. "Maybe we'll be in the same house?"

"Bloodline doesn't dictate where you go, does it?" Barty looked mildly worried. "My father was in Ravenclaw, but to be honest, I don't want to be there. I'm not that clever. What about you, Xan?"

"Um…"

"Your parent's went here, right?" Severus tilted his head. Xandra fiddled with the hem of her jumper.

"My dad did. He was a Gryffindor." She managed to get out. "But my mum was a muggle. Left him when my accidental magic kicked in. Hence the name 'Bluedale' - not a wizarding name, is it?"

"Your mum sounds like a right nice lady." Barty snorted out, rolling his eyes. "So, you expecting Gryffindor?"

"I'm not at all brave." Xandra commented. "At least, I don't think I am."

"Hardly reckless, too." Regulus added, before grinning teasingly. "Although, letting us in here may be considered so."

"Harsh. You barged your way in - I had no say in the matter."

"She has a point there, Reg." Barty commented. The Black heir nudged him playfully and soon the two were play fighting, laughing all the while. Severus gave her a mildly amused look.

"This was unexpected from two pureblood heirs." Regulus bared his teeth at Severus' comment and Barty beamed charmingly.

"I'm not your typical pureblood heir, now, am I?" He said, shaking himself out, his hair and robes in a mad disarray, eyes sparkling with mirth. A look Xandra found suited him greatly. Reg laughed.

"Don't tell my mother." He whispered conspiratorially, his once perfectly groomed hair now messed up. He was more put together than Barty, robes on straight, but it was nice to see him look more like Xandra's age. "She wants me to give the Black family a 'good impression'. Apparently, my brother is a lost cause." Xandra rolled her eyes.

"She wants you in Slytherin, right?" She guessed and Reg nodded, letting out an over dramatic sigh. "Do you need to go in Slytherin to uphold the reputation, really? You could always go for...I don't know, Ravenclaw. Just avoid Hufflepuff and Gryffindor." Xandra shrugged. Reg's eyes brightened.

"Excellent idea." He concluded with a grin. "Excellent, Xandra."

She wasn't sure why she said that...it just felt right. And from the look on Reg's face, the way his lips were tilted up in a smile, the way his eyes actually matched the smile, it seemed Xandra had said the right thing.

She smiled in return.

XoooX

The end of the train ride came by all too quickly for the group, because really they were quite happy in their compartment, not having to be different. Regulus had smartened himself up, smoothing his hair down as best he could whereas Barty straightened his robes. Severus and Xandra took advantage of this diversion to hide all of his sweets in their robe pockets and pretend they didn't know where they'd gone when Barty asked.

He didn't seem too bothered, to be honest.

The four somehow managed to stick together in the crowd of first years, but not without Xandra bumping into a smaller first year, both of them tumbling to the ground in a mass of flailing limbs. Her friends waited as she picked herself up, offering the boy a helping hand.

"So sorry."

"No, i-i-it's f-f-fine." The boy looked up at her through his brown hair, and as soon as Xandra saw wide amber eyes, too big for his tiny face, she was overwhelmed with a sense of protectfrienddefend. She was almost bowled over by it, but somehow managed to brush it off, ignoring the niggling voice inside her head that told it was not normal. "I'm R-R-Remus."

"Xandra - these are my friends, Reg, Barty and Severus." Barty let out an annoying whine, sounding like a petulant three year old.

"Come on, Xandra!" He dragged out the last syllable and Xandra rolled her eyes, offering her hand to Remus.

"Come along, Rem - you can join us in a boat." Remus' eyes brightened brilliantly at that and happily followed Xandra and her friends, Barty chatting avidly with Severus, who tried to look bored, but his lips kept twitching. The boy left them when he was called over by a red haired girl he called Lily, so the four left took to one boat. Turned out it was only four people to a boat, anyway.

There wasn't anything of great importance to note on the boat journey. Except for the fact that two boys managed to, somehow, capsize their boat, along with the small, blond boy and brown haired girl they were sharing it with. Xandra pitied the two who had nothing to do with it, both shivering when they managed to get back in. The two black haired boys were laughing.

"That's my brother." Regulus pointed out. "The one without the glasses."

"The one who looks exactly like you." Barty rolled his eyes, letting out a quiet huff when Regulus flicked him between the eyes, causing Remus to let out a startled laugh.

"I met them on the train journey." The stutter was gone from Remus' voice, he looked happier. "The one with the glasses is James Potter, the blond is called Peter."

"I sort of don't want them to be in the same house." Xandra said. "I'll feel so sorry for Peter if they end up tha -"

"Oi! Sev!" Barty then proceeded to almost capsize their boat, leaning over and waving to try and attract the attention of the other boy. Regulus looked really offput by the taller boy practically laying across his lap. He only returned to his normal position when Severus humoured him, waving back.

It didn't take too long to reach the shore, and Xandra gladly accepted the hand that Barty offered her, nearly falling into the water as the boat rocked beneath her feet.

"Wow…" Remus was staring up at the castle, eyes wide and reflecting the stars in the relatively clear sky. "It's huge!"

"Well, duh, it's a castle." Barty nudged Remus playfully with his foot. Remus looked as though he were about to yelp, but smiled instead, though it was shaky. Soon they were joined by Severus again, and his red headed friend.

"Guys, this is Lily Evans. We live in the same neighbourhood." Severus' eyes were bright, much brighter than Xandra had seen them before, different from the dour potions -

Wait, what?

She shook the thought off, grinning and taking Lily's offered hand, introducing herself.

"I'm a Muggleborn, so it was a shock to get my letter." Lily was smiling as she spoke, energetic and excited. "I can't wait to get inside!"

"Yeah." Xandra returned the smile. "I can't wait, either."

XoOoX

This has been simmering in my folder for centuries.

IT IS DONE!

So, Marauders Era fic, but the focus isn't set on the Marauders. It's also a bit AU, as in Barty is in the same year, and Reg and Sirius are twins but that's about it.

For those of you reading S&D IT IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING UPDATED DO NOT FRET!

Anyways, read, review and all that jazz! ~ Jazz xx


End file.
